Six months. And he did that which was evil
in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done. He departed
not from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, which made
Israel to sin. And Shalom, the son of Jabesh,
conspired against him and smote him before the people and slew
him and reigned in his stead. And the rest of the acts of Zechariah,
behold, they're written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel. This was the word of the Lord,
which he spake unto Jehu saying, thy sons shall sit on the throne
of Israel under the third or under the fourth generation.
And so it came to pass. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for the
salvation that's in your son. We pray that we might be enabled
to hear his voice. We pray that we might be enabled
to hear the gospel in the power of your spirit. We pray that
we might be enabled to worship and adore your dear son. We pray
for. Your grace and your mercy and
your favor to be toward us for Christ's sake. Lord, we confess
our sins. We pray for forgiveness and cleansing
anew in the blood of your son. May your gospel be preached in
the power of your spirit. May you be with all your people
wherever they meet together. Bless us for Christ's sake. In
his name we pray. Amen. Would you turn with me to second
Kings chapter 10? Verse 30, And the Lord said unto Jehu,
Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right
in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to
all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation,
in other words, his great-great-grandson, shall sit on the throne of Israel,
but Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord, God of
Israel, with all of his heart, for he departed not from the
sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin." Now, Jehu was
a wicked king that God raised up, and he used him to execute
vengeance on the house of Ahab. You know how wicked the house
of Ahab was, and he was promised, your great, great grandson The
kingdom will continue with your great-great-grandson until that's
going to be over. And that's what we just read
about. Turn back to 2 Kings 15. Zechariah was the great-great-grandson of Jehu. Verse 9, he did that
which was evil on the side of the Lord. This man, Zechariah,
the great-great-grandson, as his fathers had done, He departed
not from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel
to sin. And Shalom, the son of Jabath,
conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew
him, and reigned in his stead." This murder right in front of
everybody. And there were no consequences.
Evidently, the people of Israel were okay with this. He was such
a wicked man. He slew him. He put him to death. And the
rest of the Acts of Zechariah, behold, they're written in the
book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. This was the
word of the Lord, which he spake unto Jair, where I read in 2
Kings chapter 10, your descendants will be on the throne until the
fourth generation, your great-grandson. And after that, it will be over.
This was the word of the Lord, which he spake unto Jair. He
was saying, thy son shall sit on the throne of Israel until
the fourth generation. And so it came to pass. Now this phrase is found over
and over and over again in the scriptures. It came to pass. God determined that this would
take place. Zechariah, it was determined you're gonna be the
last one. God said this long before you were born. God said
it and it came to pass. Now, I love thinking about this. Everything that takes place now,
God determined in eternity and it came to pass. That makes me and I want to say
this reverently, but that makes me excited to live in this world.
This is God's will being done. It came to pass. Now, God is completely sovereign
over the free and uncoerced actions of men. Everything everybody
does, they do because they want to. They're not compelled to.
What I do, I do because I want to. And God is in complete sovereign
control over the free and uncoerced actions of men, including, listen
to this, this is important, including the sinful actions of men. The cross. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and with
wicked hands have crucified and slain. You were free in what
you did, but this all took place according to the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God. For to the truth, Acts chapter
four, of the truth against our holy child Jesus, whom thou has
anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and
the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever
thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Every wicked action against the
Lord Jesus Christ was God's will being done. You see, God really
is God. Aren't you glad? There's nothing
outside of his control. I was talking to a person recently,
and we were talking about the fall. And I said, well, God decreed
the fall. And they disagreed. Well, they said, God permitted
the fall. No, God decreed the fall. God decrees everything. There's not like something, well,
okay, I see that's going to happen, I'm going to let it happen. No,
that's contrary to who God is. God is absolutely sovereign in
control of everything and everything that takes place is His will
being done. Now, listen to this scripture. I'm going to quote some and I'm
going to have you turn to some because these are some we don't usually
look at. Daniel said, he doeth according
to his will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants
of the earth. Everything that takes place here
on this planet. He doeth according to his will in the armies of
heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay
his hand. Nobody can stop his will from
being done. Aren't you glad? Or saying to
him, what doest thou? Give an account of yourself.
God doesn't answer to you. He's sovereign. I love this. God doesn't have to give us account
of His manners. He doesn't answer to me. He doesn't answer to you. Who
do we think we are that we could call Him into question? He's
God. Psalm 115.3, David said, Our
God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever He hath
pleased. David said in Psalm 135, six
whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he. In heaven, in earth and seeds
and in all deep places. Now I want you to turn with me
to this Isaiah or Psalm 119. Psalm 119. Verse 89. Forever, O Lord, thy word is
settled in heaven. Settled. Thy faithfulness is
into all generations. Thou hast established the earth
and it abideth. They continue this day according
to thine ordinances for all are thy servants. Everything. Turn
to Isaiah chapter 14. Beginning in verse 24, Isaiah
14. The Lord of hosts hath sworn
saying, surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass. And
as I have purposed, so shall it stand. that I will break the
Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountain tread him underfoot.
Then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart
from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed
upon the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched
forth upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed
it, who shall disannul it? His hand is stretched out, and
who shall turn it back? Look in Isaiah 46, this is a
scripture we look at from time to time, but this emphasizes
this. Verse nine, remember the former
things of old, for I am God and there's none else. I am God and
there's none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done, saying
my counsel shall stand and I will do all My pleasure. Calling a ravenous bird from
the east, the man that executes my counsel from a far country.
Yea, I have spoken it. I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it. I will also do it. Now, the Lord makes his character
known in the Bible, and this is who he is. Everything is according
to his sovereign rule. everything. Let me repeat, everything. That includes the fall of man. I love the scripture where it
says in the day you eat thereof, you shall surely die. It doesn't
say if you eat thereof, It says, In the day you eat thereof, thou
shalt surely die. Even the fall of man was decreed
by God for the glory of Jesus Christ. That's God's purpose
in all things. Well, are you saying that the reason there's evil is God? Yes. Yes. Isaiah 45, 7, I am the Lord,
I form the light, I create darkness, I make peace, I create evil,
I the Lord do all these things. God is holy, God hates sin, And
the only reason there's sin, the only reason there is evil,
is because of His sovereignty. He determined that there would
be for the glory of His dear Son to make His character known. Now this is the God of the Bible. All things that happen, happen
according to God's eternal All things. That covers everything.
It came to pass. That scripture we see so often,
it came to pass. Well, it came to pass. I like
what Stephen Hawking, the physicist, said. I've said this before.
He died recently. But in his book on a brief history
of time, I think is what it's called, he made this statement,
if there is a God, there's no such thing as free will. You
know that that's the only thing that makes sense. If there is
a God, He controls everything. And I know God is. Now, I want to give you six statements
regarding God's decree. It came to pass. It came to pass. Your great-great-grandson's going
to be the king, and he's going to be the last one, then he's
going to go to another dynasty, his great-great-grandson was
murdered, as God said it, so it came to pass. Now here's the
first statement, and this is very important. God's decree
is single. It's not God's decrees or God's
purposes, it's God's purpose. God has one purpose. We read in Of him who worketh
all things after the counsel of his own will, Ephesians 3.11
speaks of the eternal purpose, not the eternal purposes, but
the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our
Lord. Now, regarding eternity, we know,
so we're stuck here in time, but the Bible gives us some information
about before the foundation of the world. And I know that the
Bible says in Revelation 13, 8, that Christ is the lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. Literally, this is the way this
is stated, having been slain from the foundation of the world.
And all of God's purpose has to do with that. All of God's
purpose. has to do with Christ being the
lamb slain from the foundation of the world to manifest the
character and the glory of God. God only has one purpose, the
lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and everything
flows from that. Now here's the second statement
I'd like to make. God's decree is comprehensive. You know what that means? It
means it covers everything. every event, every thought going
through your mind right now. God's decree is comprehensive. It covers everything. And we know that all things,
and we know that all things, and we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his Turn with me to the book of Proverbs,
chapter 16. You know if you're a control
freak, you don't like this. If you know you don't have any control
anyway, you love it. This is who God is. Verse 1, Proverbs
16. The preparations, the inclinations
of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue, the way he responds
to something is from the Lord. That's how much he controls.
Even your inclinations, he's in control of. Look in verse
four. The Lord hath made all things
for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Verse nine,
a man's heart deviseth his way. How many of you all made plans
about what you're going to do this afternoon? I thought of
several things I'm going to do. We're going to have company.
Clay Curtis is preaching tonight. They're going to spend the night
with us. I thought of what we got to do. My backyard's a mess. I need
to clean it up. I thought about these things
I'm going to do. but the Lord directed his steps.
The Lord is in control of everything. Look in verse 33 of this chapter. The lot is cast into the lap,
but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. He controls everything. Look in chapter 19, verse 21. There are many devices in a man's
heart, many things he wants to do. There are many devices in
a man's heart, but aren't you thankful for this? Nevertheless,
the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. Now, are you taken
away from responsibility? No, you're responsible. I'm responsible
to obey God, to do what he says to do in his word. Everybody
is responsible. This is not taking away from
responsibility. Somebody says, well, I'm not
going to worry about anything because everything's according to God's
decree. Well, that's foolishness. That's all that is, is foolishness.
I mean, in the sense that if you think, well, I can live any
way I want and it's God's will being done. If I commit this
sin, that's God's will being done. Therefore, I'm not going
to worry about it. That's evil. That's all that can be said is
evil. Don't look at things that way. But God's will is always
done. Aren't you happy? God's will
is comprehensive. God's decree comprehends everything,
and there's nothing outside of His control. And here's the third
thing. God's will, first of all, is
single. It's comprehensive. And third, God's decree is unconditional. You know what that means? That means He doesn't have to
have this to take place before that takes place. He's in complete control. He
doesn't have a plan B. He doesn't have to have something
that this needs to take place for that to, no. God doesn't
live in a linear universe the way we do, where this event takes
place and that event takes place. He's eternal, and He doesn't
need for something to take place in order for His purpose to come
to pass. No plan B, no contingencies.
God is God. I have purposed it. I shall also
do it. God's decree is eternal. God's decree is single, it's
comprehensive, it's unconditional, and it is eternal. We read of the eternal purpose,
which he purposed in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Everything God does,
he has already done before the foundation of the world. Hebrews chapter four, verse one. Let us therefore fear, lest a
promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should
seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached
as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we
which have believed do enter into rest. As he said, as I've
sworn in my wrath, that they shall enter into my rest. Although,
now here, look at this statement. Not enough has been said about
this. Although the works were finished from the foundation
of the world. Everything, all the works of
salvation, all the works done in time, they were finished and
completed in the purpose and mind of the great God before
the foundation of the world. The Lord's eternal and his decree
is eternal. It never had a beginning. Now
here's the fifth statement. His decrees are always effectual. His will is always done. Always. You know, I love reading
there in Revelation 5 of that book that's sealed with seven
seals, and it was written on the front and the back, there
wasn't any room for anything else to be added. Well, that's
God's purpose. It's already completed. And it's
always, His will is always done. You know, I think it's kind of
silly when you hear somebody say, well, I want to know what
God's will for my life is. You're up to your neck in it. God's
will is being done. And what's God's will for my
life? Well, God's will, that's the answer. Whatever happens,
it's God's will being done. His will always comes to pass. God doesn't will something. and
his will is frustrated, or his purpose is frustrated, it always
comes to pass. God's will is effectual. I've already read this from Proverbs
19, 29, there are many devices in a man's heart, nevertheless,
the counsel of the Lord, the decree of God, that shall be
done. And his decree is for his glory. Turn to Ephesians chapter one.
Now this speaks of the three persons of the Godhead, Ephesians
chapter 1, verse 6. He'd been talking about
the work of the Father, and election, and predestination, and adoption,
and acceptance. And this all happens in verse
6, to the praise of the glory of His grace. That's the Father. Verse 12, this is talking about
the work of the Son, that we should be to the praise of His
glory. The work of the Spirit in verse
14, which is the earnest of our inheritance into the redemption
of the purchased possession under the praise of His glory. Everything that takes place is
for His glory. Turn with me in closing to the
book of Ecclesiastes. Right after the Proverbs. Chapter three. Verse one. To everything. There's a season. And a time to every purpose under
the heaven. Everything that's going on right
now is according to His purpose. And that's what makes, I wanna
say this reverently, I wanna say it, we ought to be excited
to be in this world right now. This is God's world. The earth
is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. This is God's world. His will is being done. He says
in verse two, there's a time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant, a time to pluck up that which is planted. A time
to kill and a time to heal. A time to break down. A time
to build up. A time to weep. And a time to
laugh. A time to mourn. And a time to
dance. A time to cast away stone. And
a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace. And a time
to refrain from embracing. A time to get. And a time to
lose. A time to keep. And a time to
cast away. A time to rend. And a time to sew. A time to
keep silence. And a time to speak. A time to
love and a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace. This is all according to God's
purpose. What prophet hath he that worketh
and that wherein he laboreth? I've seen the travail which God
hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it, the stuff
that's going on in time, but he hath made EVERYTHING beautiful. in His time. Everything's beautiful. Everything is beautiful. Also,
He has set the world in their hearts so that no man can find
out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
You know what that means? It means we don't get it. We
don't get it. We know He does, and that's who
we rest in, but do I understand everything the Lord's doing?
Of course I don't. Do I need to understand? No, I don't. He's
in control. Verse 12, I know that there's
no good in them, but for a man to rejoice and to do good in
his life, and also that every man should eat and drink and
enjoy the good of all his labor. It's the gift of God. I know. that whatsoever God doeth, it
shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it, nor
anything taken from it, and God doeth it that men should fear
before him. That which hath been is now,
and that which is to be hath already been, and God requireth
that which is past. I realize that there's sorrow
in this world. That's just a fact. Sorrow because of my sin, because
of the sin that's in the world, there's sorrow. I realize that.
That being said, it is a wonderful world because it's God's world
and it's His will being done. May God give us grace to Believe
that and enjoy it. There is a time for everything. Amen.